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<title>All the Children That Wish by romeoandjulietyouwish</title>
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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29571159">All the Children That Wish</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/romeoandjulietyouwish/pseuds/romeoandjulietyouwish'>romeoandjulietyouwish</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Lis Writes Mighty Nein [18]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Critical Role (Web Series)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Cuddling &amp; Snuggling, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Families of Choice, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Hugs, Hurt/Comfort, Platonic Relationships, Self-Esteem Issues, don't read this as romantic</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 22:48:25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,061</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29571159</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/romeoandjulietyouwish/pseuds/romeoandjulietyouwish</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Veth and Caleb talk about love.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Nott | Veth Brenatto &amp; Caleb Widogast</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Lis Writes Mighty Nein [18]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2026874</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>31</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>All the Children That Wish</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Veth stares herself in the eyes through the mirror. Her braid has all but come loose and like the rest of her friends, she has dark circles under her eyes. They’ve been traveling for a while now, bouncing through different time zones, meeting with so many people she can hardly remember them all. They’ve landed for the night in a random inn with average accommodations. After buying a single room for the seven of them, earning an odd look from the innkeeper, they hurried into Caleb’s tower.</p><p>With a sigh, Veth pulls the cord from the end of her braid and resigns herself to brushing out the tangles. She only gets a few strokes in when there’s a soft knock at her door. Recognizing it immediately, Veth runs to the door, smiling when she sees Caleb on the other side, looking nervous as always. </p><p>“Can I come in?” He asks.</p><p>“Of course.” She steps aside and lets him come in. She leads him back to her bedroom where she sits back on the chair and resumes combing her hair. She watches through the mirror as he sits down on the foot of her bed. When he doesn’t say anything for a moment, Veth prompts him, “So…what brings you here?” </p><p>“I wanted to ask you something.” Veth keeps her eye on him in the mirror as he scratches his palm. “What does love look like?” </p><p>She turns around to face him. That is not what she had been expecting. “What do you mean? You loved people before.” </p><p>“I know but, how do I know if someone else loves me?” </p><p>Veth’s face softens. She climbs off the chair and jumps up on the bed to sit next to him. “They’ll show you through their actions. And,” she puts her hand on his, “they’ll tell you. I love you, Caleb.” </p><p>He shakes his head, “I don’t think you do.” Those words hit Veth hard in her chest. How can he think that? She loves him as much as her husband and her child, as much as every other dork i this stupid tower. </p><p>Veth furrows her brow at him, “Of course I love you, Caleb. You’re my best friend, you’re-”</p><p>“That’s not what I meant. I-I…” He pulls his hand away from her. “I don’t think anyone can love someone like me.” </p><p>Veth looks at him incredulously. “Is it that hard to believe that I love you?”</p><p>“I am not a good person, Veth.”</p><p>“You are still worthy of love.” Veth takes his hand and pulls it towards her. “You are worthy of kindness and comfort. The things that happened to you are not who you are. You are Caleb, you are my boy, and I love you.” </p><p>Caleb almost looks like he’s in pain, avoiding her eye contact, “You think far too highly of me, my friend. You don’t know half of the things I’ve done to people who didn’t deserve it.” </p><p>“I don’t need to.” She stands on the bed so she’s slightly taller than him and puts a hand on his cheek. She gives him a soft pat so he turns his head to look up at her. “I love you, Caleb, and I will tell you that until the day I die. I don’t need to know the things that happened to you to know the person you are now. You are a good person, Caleb.” </p><p>“I am not.” </p><p>“You are,” Veth insists. “You take care of us. The tower you created for us is beautiful and it shows me how much you care about all of us. You created a home for us. When Kiri was with us, I saw how gentle you were with her, how even though you were uncomfortable, you still let her crawl in your lap to look at your books. The person you are now is vastly different from the boy I met in that jail cell. You are good and you are kind and you are worthy.” </p><p>By the time she finishes, tears pour heavily down Caleb’s cheeks. He cries silently, Veth notes. She sinks back down onto her knees and climbs into his lap. She looks up at him for a moment before hugging him tightly. It takes a moment for Caleb to respond to and return the embrace, but when he does, he buries his head in her hair and holds on for dear life. </p><p>Even though he is much bigger and older than Luc, she is still reminded of her son. How he would cry into her chest after being teased by kids at school and how he would look at her like she had the power to right every wrong in the world. Caleb is smarter than that, he knows that Veth doesn’t have that ability, but he’s still weeping into her arms. Veth has a thought, perhaps the things that worked for Luc could work for Caleb. </p><p>So Veth draws in a low breath and begins to sing. It’s an old halfling lullaby that doesn’t make much sense when translated, but the notes are low and even. And they carry with them all the wisdom of Veth and her mother, and her mother before her, and all of the mothers who sang this song to comfort their sobbing children. </p><p>Veth’s voice is out of practice and breathy, but the tune holds strong. She rubs Caleb’s back as she sings and he trembles in her arms. After Veth repeats the song the first time, Caleb starts to hum along with her, his perfect memory allowing him to know the song flawlessly. </p><p>After a few minutes, Veth lifts her head and looks up at Caleb. He is still crying and looks down at her sadly. </p><p>“I’m sorry,” he whispers. </p><p>She shakes her head, “Nothing to be sorry for.” She stands on his knees to press a kiss to the top of his head. “You’re alright. Do you want to stay here tonight?” </p><p>“I…”</p><p>“It’s okay if you do. I wouldn’t feel right sending you back to your room alone.” Caleb nods.</p><p>That night Caleb sleeps with his head against Veth’s chest, her arms tight around him. She lulls him to sleep, humming softly and combing her fingers through his hair. Once Caleb is fast asleep in her arms, Veth presses a kiss to his forehead and closes her eyes.  </p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Comments and kudos are appreciated!</p><p>Tumblr- @romeoandjulietyouwish</p></blockquote></div></div>
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